Connecting People! Connecting Places! Our 2024 fundraiser will be held in the Oxford College of Emory University Student Center, Oxford, Georgia on June 22, 2024, check-in and social hour 5:30-6:30 p.m. This will be a Casino Night; gaming begins at 6:30 p.m..

Having the funds needed for the Alcovy River Bridge, we are turning our attention to other projects. This year we request your support to help with the following:

• Connect the Cricket Frog Trail to the Eastside Trail.
• Extend the Cricket Frog Trail to Newborn and to Lakeview Drive.
• Develop and improve trailheads.
• Add and improve trail amenities, signage, and safety features.
• Continue to help maintain Newton County trails.

We will continue working toward our long-range goals to extend the Cricket Frog Trail to Porterdale, connect Oxford's trails to other Newton County trails, build out the Yellow River Trail, and more.

What you can do now:

• Save the date and plan on attending June 22.
• Consider having yourself or your business be an event sponsor. If interested, write info@newtontrails.org.
• Watch for an announcement for when ticket sales begin and buy tickets.
• Make a pre-event donation to Newton Trails at newtontrails.org/donations.

Construction

• Norfolk Southern Corporation agreed to extend Newton Trails' lease by 550 feet running east from Zeigler Road.
• Newton County partnered with Newton Trails to create a larger parking area at Starrsville.
• Landon Dickson, a Troop 748 Eagle Scout candidate built and installed a kiosk at Starrsville partially funded by United Bank.
• City of Covington built trail entrances at Dorchester Place and at Plantation Trace.
• City of Covington repaired the storm water culverts west of Emory Street.

Planning

• Planning, fundraising, and bidding was completed for the retrofit of the Alcovy River bridge (see update above).
• Newton Trails received a $35,000 grant from General Mills Covington Plant for rapid flashers where the trail crosses Dixie Road and County Road 213. Riverside Traffic Solutions, LLC will install the two systems.
• The Town of Newborn obtained two lots along Timberlake Drive where it plans to create a trailhead, parking area, and small park.
• Newton Trails board members assisted Newton County for planning and obtaining easements for the Yellow River Trail.
• Newton Trails board members provided input to Newton County Water and Sewerage Authority on the design of the Little River/Emmons Recreation and Environmental Education Master Plan and to the City of Covington on the widening of Turner Lake Road.

Amenities & Maintenance

• Eastside High School student, Hannah Lockerman, redesigned and, with help from fellow students, repainted the mural at Elm Street. Art Specialist Michelle Parker oversaw the project.
• City of Covington installed signs along the Cricket Frog Trail to highlight Covington's African-American history.
• Newton Trails used funds from its 2023 Fundraiser to purchase chainsaws, saw-pruner set, a hand-held leaf blower, and hand-tools.
• We also bought an "industrial strength" blower that was used this past fall by volunteers Greg and Lisa Herring. They, along with other volunteers and adopt-a-spotters using personal equipment, kept the Cricket Frog Trail swept clean of debris.
• Trash cans were place along the Cricket Frog Trail throughout Covington.

Outreach

• Rebecca Moore designed Newton Trails shirts and other merchandise. Please visit Newton Trails' online store www.bonfire.com/store/newton-trails/.
• We redesigned our website, www.newtontrails.org.
• Newton Trails joined Covington Family YMCA, Covington Police Department, Covington Conyers Cycling Club, and City of Covington to deliver the 3rd Annual Bike Rodeo at Legion Field.
• We worked with City of Covington and Covington Family YMCA to offer Trick or Treat on the Trail.
• We made presentations and staffed tables at local events. These included: hosting a Chamber of Commerce Coffee Call; presenting to service organizations; and staffing tables at the Cheerios Challenge, Bike Rodeo, Covington Century Bike Ride, Oxford College Student Volunteer Day, Newton County Family Fun Day, Mayfield Ace Hardware's 50th Anniversary Celebration.
• This newsletter was sent to 1783 trail supporters, 109 more than our 2022 Annual Report. Over 3800 people follow us on Facebook, about 300 more than a year ago.
• For the sixth straight year, we sponsored Wednesday morning group hikes for anyone interested in joining.

Volunteers

• Judy Tilmont and Rebecca Moore joined the Newton Trails Board of Directors.
• Pat Hulsey agreed to help Cathy Glow lead Newton Trails' Wednesday Morning Hikes. She replaces a legend, David Sheffield.
• Trail cleanup days were contributed by the employees of Pactiv Evergreen, Inc., and Michelin Tread Technologies as well as Oxford College of Emory University's Volunteer Oxford students.
• We engaged in Thursday morning trail maintenance sessions with anyone interested in volunteering.

Of special note

• Meta awarded Newton Trails $300,000 to help complete the Alcovy River Bridge and otherwise build out and improve the Cricket Frog Trail.
• We had an incredibly successful fundraiser on May 6, 2023 at Legion Field.
• People's support via shopping rewards resulted in Newton Trails receiving $171 from Kroger Rewards and $252 from Amazon Smile in 2023.
• Our officers for 2024 will be Duane Ford (chair), Debra Griffith (treasurer), and John McCarthy (secretary).

Meta presenting a $300,000 contribution

Landon Dickson (yellow gloves) built the Starrsville kiosk with partial funding from United Bank

Newton Trails' 2023 fund-raiser at Legion Field; we completed our fundraising for the Alcovy River Bridge!

Wednesday hikers

Pactiv Evergreen contributed a clean up day

Newton Trails receiving its new "industrial strength" leaf blower

Newton Trails at Trick or Treat on the Trail

The bench in memory of Jeremy "Jack" Jackson

WHY WE DO THIS!

Newton Trails appreciates and here recognizes the contributors who so generously supported our work since our Fall 2022 Newsletter. If you see an error or omission, please let Newton Trails know at info@newtontrails.org. We want to get it right!

For information about our Donor, Sponsor, and Supporter Recognition Program, please visit www.newtontrails.org/business-sponsors.

DIAMOND ($10,000 or more)

Beaver Manufacturing

City of Covington

Fowler Properties

General Mills Covington Plant

Mayfield Ace Hardware

META

Newton County

Otis and Nell Nixon Foundation

Police Who Care

Pratt Industries

PLATINUM ($5,000 - $9,999)

Animal Medical Clinic

Ascend Elements

Cinelease

Thomas Frey

John and Susie Keck

Melissa McCarthy

GOLD ($2,500 - $4,999)

Emory Bailey

Hoyt Baker

Covington Rotary Club

Stuart Hamilton

Hesters Package Store

Cathy Laseter

Latham Home Sanitation

Lee Mayfield

Carol McGiboney

John Nipper

Wendell and Jane Parker

Pi-Jon

Quinn Residential

Steve and Wanda Reagan

Olivia Schmitz

Jacqueline Shriver

Elizabeth and Mark Sullivan

United Bank

Verescence

Chip and Jonna West

Steve and Kathy Whitworth

SILVER ($1,000 - $2,499)

100 Women Who Care

Cynthia Abbott

Jerry Bouchillon

Caroline Buckner

MB Buckner

Covington Conyers Cycling Club

Pete and Gail Carter

Lowell Chambers

Covington Town Center

Cathy Dobbs

Lorne Evans

Duane and Sheri Ford

Ginn Motor Company

Debra and Rich Griffith

Mark Hanson

Herring Properties

Greg and Lisa Herring

Misty Jordan

Heather and Josh King

Norris LIttle

Michelin Tread Technologies

Sandy and Betsy Morehouse

Peachstate Construction

Carter Rogers

Ross Veterinary Clinic

Bob Rutland

Satsuki Garden Club

Dave Schmitt

Joe Simon

Snapping Shoals EMC

Robert Stansfield

Judy Tilmont

Twelve Oaks

Chris Wood

COPPER ($500 - $999)

Archer Aviation

Arnold Fund

 Jeff Benzon

 Christy Blanchford

 Randy and Linda Brogdon

  Thomas Callendar

 Tim Cartledge

Church of the Good Shepherd Episcopal

City Concept Group - City Pharmacy

Cyclist for Change

 Scott Daniel

 Greta and Monty de Mayo

 Julie Edenfield

Gary Massey Agency

Georgia Realty

 Bill and Julie Gramzinski

GWES

 Sam and Loucy Hay

 David Haymore

 Scott Hubbard

 Craig and Jan Hudson

 Megan Hulgan

 Michelle Johnson

 Keck & Wood Inc

 Barbara Kruto

La Vie Salon

 Jim Latham

Massey Insurance

Mercy Hotel Group

 Randy Miller

 Kathy Morgan

 Chris Morrison

 Paige Oftedal

Premier Petroleum/Mercy Hotel Group

 Steven Purvis

 Paul Reckamp

RHI/Holiday Inn Express

 Greg and Tamara Richardson

Rivian

Scott Hubbard Insurance

 Rodney and Julia Sheets

Southern Bicycle League

 Robert Tabb

 Alison Thompson

 Nita Thompson

 Sara and Randy Vinson

 Teresa Walker Reynolds

 Roberta and Ed Winnicki

WPG Construction

BRONZE ($0 - $499)

SUPPORT NEWTON TRAILS BY FOLLOWING THESE LINKS